Fessia aouintii, Glöer & Mabrouki & Taybi, 2020

Glöer, Peter, Mabrouki, Youness & Taybi, Abdelkhaleq Fouzi, 2020, Two new valvatoid genera (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae) from Morocco, Ecologica Montenegrina 30, pp. 124-128 : 127-128

Fessia aouintii n. sp. (fig. 3)

Material studied: Holotype: H = 0.7 mm, D = 1.2 mm, ZMH 140696 ; 5 paratypes ( ZMH 140697 ), 6 in coll. Mebrouki, 3 in coll. Glöer.

Type locality: Morocco, Aouinat El Hajjaj, Fez prefecture, 34°01'39.1"N 4°58'24.1"W, 16.02.2020 leg .

Etymology: Named after the type locality.

Habitat: Aouinat El Hajjaj is a rheocenous natural spring, located at Fez prefectur at an altitude of 409 m above sea level. The grain size of the bottom consists of stones, pebbles and sand, the vegetation of the banks is very heterogeneous and highly disturbed. Located in the Oued Wisslane watershed near a weekly market ‘souk’, which has subjected it to very strong anthropogenic action, through solid and liquid waste, habitat loss and water abstraction. In addition, the entire area could be suffering from agricultural runoff and drainage of water. Consequently, the population of Fessia aouintii n. gen. n. sp. would be highly vulnerable, and it is arguably the most threatened hydrobid of Morocco. Major efforts are needed for its conservation, including studies on its biological and ecological knowledge.

Description

Shell: The tiny valvatoid shell is translucent with a silky surface. The 3.5 whorls are fast and rapidly growing separated by a deep suture. The body whorl is prominent and descends slowly on the shell wall. The shell is 0.8 mm high and 1.2 mm in diameter.

Animal: White with dark brown mantle pigmentation. Eye-spots large and visible.

Penis: Relatively small and flat with a broad basis and tapered at the distal end.

Operculum: Operculum flexible, without any peg, dark yellowish.

Distribution: Morocco, only known from the type locality.